AFTEE concert raises $70,000 in proceeds

CARRIE MILLER PHOTO | Swedish DJ sensation Avicii at the All for the East End dance party at Martha Clara Vineyards in August.

The first annual All for the East End dance party netted more than $70,000 in donations, event organizers announced Tuesday, more than three months after the charity concert brought thousands to Riverhead.

The funds will used to ensure the benefit concert happens against next year in addition to its mission of supporting nonprofit groups across the East End.

AFTEE’s Nile Rodgers Dance Party was held Aug.19. at Martha Clara Vineyard in Riverhead, featuring Nile Rodgers and Chic along with AVICII and Adam Lambert.

Event organizers said approximately $50,000 in proceeds will be going directly into the AFTEE East End Fund and nonprofit organizations from the five East End townships can apply to receive grants from the fund.

The fund will be administrated by the Long Island Community Foundation, a nonprofit that works as a philanthropic advisory service, said Claudia Pilato, executive committee member of AFTEE.

WPPB Radio, the nonprofit that founded AFTEE, also received $5,000, and a small amount of additional funding has been put aside to be used toward planning next year’s event, according to AFTEE officials.

Bridgehampton National Bank, an AFTEE representative and concert founding sponsor, presented checks to the Long Island Community Foundation, AFTEE East End Fund and to WPPB radio Tuesday morning, according to a press release.

Ms. Pilato said the LICF is looking to set up an advisory committee with one representative from each of the five townships, to help inform the foundation about the needs of the community.

“[The board would consist of] people who are not politically involved and not on the board of any nonprofit,” she said. “We’re looking for people who are interested and active, but don’t have a lot of outside influences.”

The LICF is currently working on putting an application process in place, and expects to begin accepting grant applications from East End nonprofits in the first quarter of 2014. Information on how to apply for grant funding will be made available on both the AFTEE and the LICF websites in the next 60 days, according to the AFTEE release.

Event organizers expect to raise additional funds in the coming months by auctioning off two guitars signed by concert performers. A third guitar, signed by both Roger Waters and Sting, will also be auctioned off in early 2014.